Epilogue – Week of February 11th

That figure might represent the most optimistic I have ever been as a M.U.S.C.L.E. collector.

Do you know why I was optimistic? The third M.U.S.C.L.E. commercial. I was hoping that it was from the commercial. The item location of Los Angeles, California made me even more hopeful.

It was a longshot, but it was enough to gamble. I’m in the midst of returning the figure right now. I hope it goes smoothly.

Let’s take a look at some eBay listings.

First. Holy shit. This guy has shown up in the Epilogue many times as a punch line (and maybe as an AOTW?). He had listed this lot at ridiculous prices week after week. Most recently it was a $399 opening bid with a $525 BIN. Now it’s come down to an opening bid of $0.99. Wow.

My cynicism is bubbling up from my toes and out the top of my head. I can’t remember a crazy price that suddenly came down and didn’t have something suspicious happen (e.g., shill bidding, second chance offer, listing suddenly ends before the auction is over, etc.). Maybe that won’t happen.

And maybe I’ve gone colorblind and actually received a Dark Blue #175 figure.

I was given the absolute best birthday cake this week. Every time I look at it a stupidly large smile forces itself upon my face.

But Brian had a comment that killed me, “If we go by eBay prices that cake is worth 400 bucks.” I shared it with my wife and she laughed too. Then she got deathly serious, “Really?”

I told her no, but I’m curious what it would take to get all of those cake toppers ASAP. There are eight figures in three colors: (1) Flesh #34, #163, #165, #174, and #179; (2) Purple #178 and #183; and (3) Dark Blue #109.

When lowering your price doesn’t sell a figure, these racers have the same modus operandi – raise the price. But after you raise it, then you have to lower it so people understand the golden opportunity that is being presented. These expert racers are expert sales people too.

Racer #1 is at it’s second highest price of the race, but still lower that the $388.88 from 918 days ago. Racer #2 has come down from his high of $99.95 to his starting race price of $29.95.

I should be embarrassed that this silly races amuses me, but I’m not. It feel like laughing at that poor girl.

She’s embarrassed. She’s a person. She has feelings.

But it’s funny. I shouldn’t laugh at her, but I can’t help it. I can only see the humor.

Here’s an example. We were in a baseball playoff game for “coach pitch.” It was my oldest’s team, but my youngest was playing up. I was pitching and my youngest came up with two outs, bases loaded, and it was the final inning. I started to laugh, “What is I strike out my baby to end the game.”

He tried his best, but ended up striking out. The game ended. I was laughing so hard tears were coming down my face.